Filmswelike nabs ‘Conan’ doc for Canada

Company acquires distribution rights to 'Can't Stop'

Filmswelike has acquired Canadian distribution rights to Rodman Flender’s docu “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop,” on the eve of its international preem at the Hot Docs festival in Toronto, it was announced this morning (APRIL 29).

The Toronto-based distributor will release “Conan” across Canada in July.

The deal was negotiated by Liesl Copland at WME Global on behalf of the filmmakers and Ron Mann of Filmswelike, who called the pic “hands down the most entertaining and funniest film at this year’s Hot Docs.”

“Conan” showcases the funnyman’s 2010 32-city tour-the live music-and-comedy answer to a contractual stipulation banned him from appearing on TV, radio and the internet for six months following his last night hosting NBC’s “The Tonight Show.”

The pic world preemed last month at Austin’s SXSW film festival, where it snagged a unique deal that saw Abramorama come onboard for the theatrical rollout, AT&T join as a P&A and multi-platform distribution and marketing partner and Magnolia Home Entertainment scoop VOD and homevideo rights.

Filmswelike is currently showing Richard Press’s docu “Bill Cunningham New York” in Canadian theatres, and has three additional pics at Hot Docs, including Jay Cheel’s “Beauty Day” which profiles cable-access stunt comedian Cap’n Video (Ralph Zavadil), whose antics paved the way for “Jackass” and Tom Green.